TESOL, EAL/D and Languages Research Teaching and Research Group

The TESOL, EAL/D and Languages Teaching and Research Group focuses on developing transformative teaching and learning across the TESOL, EAL/D and languages teaching education sectors in Australia and overseas.

Our focus

Our research program draws from the premise that curriculum, pedagogy, and language and culture are inextricably linked and increasingly digitally enabled.

A unique feature of our expertise is the use of sociolinguistic, sociocultural, critical and creative approaches to research that furthers the understanding of TESOL, EAL/D and languages education.

The group explores sociocultural perspectives on: languages; culture and identity in education; pedagogy; policy; curriculum and assessment; additional languages acquisition; and the nexus between communication, language awareness and languages curriculum, pedagogy and practice.

Study opportunities

The TESOL/Languages team is associated with master's and graduate certificate courses in TESOL and languages teaching.

Prospective higher by degree students may have a variety of opportunities with the team. Expert supervision in specified fields is available, and also possible teaching and research assistant work. PhD students in our area typically have the opportunity to present at a national or international conference during their candidature.

Group members

The following is a list of group members who have expertise and experience in a variety of multinational, multilingual and multicultural contexts.

Research projects

Multilingual experiences

Navigating the languages policy landscape

An exploration of teacher practice

Funding: CREFI (REDI), Deakin University

Collaborations

The members of the group have extensive research networks and collaborations both nationally and internationally. Within Australia, we collaborate with Western Sydney University, QUT, Macquarie University, and the University of Queensland.

We also have several international collaborations including with the University of Education Karlsruhe (Germany), Regensburg University (Germany), Kassel University (Germany) and Universidad Cardenal Silva Henriquez (Chile).

Funding and awards

This was an OLT-funded project that examined perspectives on language awareness of pre-service teachers and teacher educators. The project's findings have influenced provision of language awareness in teacher education.

Intercultural understanding in primary and secondary schools

2012–2014

ARC Linkage Project

This project was influential in providing indicators for teachers to understand interculturality.

Asia Literacy Project

2012–2013

Funded by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL), The Asia Literacy Project was a research collaboration between Deakin University and the Asia Education Foundation (AEF). This project was the first large-scale, national project that investigated teacher and principal perspectives of the newly implemented ‘Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia’ cross-curricular priority in the 2011 Australian Curriculum.

The project report Asia Literacy and the Australian Teaching Workforce has been cited in numerous policy and advocacy documents.

Contact us

For more information about TESOL, EAL/D and languages research, please contact Rod Neilsen.